How To Choose New Carpet Like A Pro!
Carpet | Vinyl & Tile | Recommended Stores
(Information Only, No Flooring Sales (About Me)
Best & Worst Places to Buy New Carpet?
It
seems like forever but 2025 is finally here and it's time to start thinking
about all those home renovation projects you have been putting off... Where you
buy new Carpet & Flooring is very important because of all the Scams and
Rip-offs that homeowners need to avoid. Buying from a reputable source is
critical if you want to have a satisfying and successful long-lasting outcome.
This free report reveals how I rate all types of Carpet & Flooring Retailers, Wholesalers and Resellers on a scale from One to Five. (Five being the best!)
This is the culmination of my 30+ years of hands-on Carpet knowledge and experience including 3 generations of family members with careers in the Flooring industry.
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#1 Locally-Owned Carpet Stores
***** 5 Stars (The Best)
With a good selection of carpet remnants stood up along the back wall, some in-stock rolls of carpet on display, a neat and tidy showroom and a good selection of brand name carpet samples to choose from. This may be the safest way to have your carpet replaced and also get a significant discount on carpet, padding and installation.
These long-standing neighborhood carpet and flooring retailers
are locally-owned and order first-quality carpet directly
from the manufacturer. They provide
first-class customer
service, have fair & square pricing, have knowledgeable and helpful staff,
provide free accurate measuring and guaranteed installation. Should you ever have a
carpet problem or complaint they will do whatever it takes to
ensure
you are completely satisfied with your purchase.
Not all locally-owned flooring dealers are honest and reputable. There are quite a few unsavory carpet retailers out there. The problem is, it's hard to tell the good ones from the bad ones. You need to buy from a reputable carpet store near you!
This is why I have compiled my own "hand-picked" list of reputable, locally-owned Carpet stores I am proud to recommend to my readers. Every store I recommend must pass my special set of strict rules and requirements before I list them in my directory. Show me recommended and reliable Carpet Stores Near Me.
#2 Shop-at-Home Carpet Retailers
**** 4 stars
Many people love the convenience of not having to travel from store to store in search of the perfect type, color and style of carpet or flooring and prefer having samples brought to their home. Shopping at home makes matching colors easier under the optimum lighting conditions in your home.
Many locally-owned carpet dealers are now offering shop-at-home services and this can a smart and convenient way to go for those who don't want to drive all around town and deal with conflicting and confusing salespeople.
There are many reputable carpet dealers that offer quality products, knowledgeable salespeople and reasonable prices but they are harder to find today because the shop-at-home concept is still a fairly new concept.
I have several reputable locally-owned shop-at-home retailers listed in my Preferred Carpet Dealer Directory that I am proud to recommend, including The Carpet Guys who serve the metro Detroit Michigan area. Best places to buy new carpet and flooring? I've got you covered!
There are a few nationally advertised shop-at-home flooring companies that I do not recommend because they sell inferior products, have unreasonably high prices and use high-pressure salespeople. I'm sure you have seen some of their TV commercials that offer discounts that sound too good to be true.
#3 Online Carpet & Flooring Retailers
*** 3 stars
Need Hardwoods, Ceramic Tile, Luxury Tile or Laminate Flooring? These online companies move a lot of product and can be a smart way to go if you are careful and do your homework. They have a lot more flooring products than just carpet for sale.
The most common problem I hear about is poor quality materials they might offer. For example: If you buy hardwood flooring that is considered "Seconds" (cabin-grade?) it can be very difficult to install and the amount of warped, unusable or damaged product you receive can be significant and have as much as 25% waste or more.
Buying first-quality hardwoods is much more costly but the outcome is much better than if you buy a "second-grade" product. LL Flooring aka Lumber Liquidators, originally specialized in the sale of hardwood flooring online. I hear they may be going out of business (Sept 2024)
It's hard to know how much material to order when you have no Idea about the amount of unusable product they will be sending you. It can be a real nightmare when you have to re-order more materials because you did not have enough to finish the job due to the amount of unforeseen waste.
You can save money buying from an online flooring wholesaler as long as you know exactly what quality or grade of carpet you are buying and know in advance exactly how the entire buying process works from start to finish. Even so, you are taking your chances because you rely on what the salesperson tells you, or fails to tell you.
Shipping costs can be high too and if you are not happy with the product you order you may have to pay dearly to ship it back and also pay a hefty re-stocking fee.
Some online flooring retailers are reputable and some are not, and knowing who to trust is the hard part. Even if you succeed in buying a good quality flooring at a discount, you still have to arrange for your own installation or install it yourself if you are so inclined. I recommend you read all the fine print carefully and ask about their restocking fees, and return shipping costs before you agree to buy. Here is one online Carpet and Flooring Retailer that I have heard some good reviews about: Caldwellcarpet.com.
#4 (800) Carpet Wholesalers
*** 3 stars
These are carpet
and flooring wholesalers that send you small carpet samples through the mail. You
have to make your selection by looking at a 6" inch square carpet
swatch.
You start by visiting their website and search for the carpet you are interested in. Follow the instructions to have several carpet samples to be mailed to you free of charge. No fancy carpet showroom, just a huge warehouse filled with rolls of carpet stacked up four rows high. If you already know what carpet quality, style and color you are looking for, this can be a great way to go.
The cheapest place to buy carpet is not always the smartest way to go. That's why you should always stick your foot into the swimming pool before you dive in!
You can save money buying from a reputable carpet wholesaler as long as you know exactly what you are buying and fully understand how the entire carpet buying process works. You need to know what is expected of you, especially regarding the delivery of the carpet and what's involved if you need to return a roll of carpet.
There is one carpet wholesaler that I like called Warehouse Carpets. They are located in Dalton, Georgia, have been in business since 1977 and have an amazing website. They also maintain a "about us" web page with a staff roster, complete with photos, brief profiles and contact information. This type of transparency boosts my confidence, particularly in knowing that their sales staff has extensive experience and years of tenure with the company.
#5 Franchised Carpet Resellers
*** 3 stars
These franchised carpet dealers are often locally-owned but are hooked up with a national carpet distributor or co-op to increase their buying power and decrease their shipping costs.
They put private labels on all their samples to prevent you from comparison shopping at other local carpet stores. Some re-brand their carpets and may not reveal the actual manufacturer of their products. Abbey Carpet and Floor, and Big Bob's Flooring Outlet are two franchised carpet retailers that first come to mind, but there are many other corporate carpet showrooms out there.
It is often much more difficult to get carpet the manufacturer specifications from these franchised resellers, and it makes it much more difficult to comparison shop their products. Still, you can still negotiate a fair deal if you know what you are doing and don't rely on their salespeople to make choices for you. Print my free Carpet Shopping Form
Many co-ops do not provide installation so you may have to locate a good installation crew and pay them separately. You will have to work a bit harder to schedule and orchestrate everything, and may end up paying a little more buying from a franchised flooring dealer.
They usually have a list of local carpet and flooring installers for you to call and they do offer a wide range of quality flooring products. Ten Questions To Ask Every Carpet Installer
#6 Buying From a Carpet Installer
** 2 stars
Some carpet layers have longstanding relationships with local carpet dealers, or may have a way to order new carpet & padding at near wholesale prices from local suppliers.
Carpet layers often end up with sizable leftovers from bigger carpet jobs because inexperienced carpet salespeople often over-measure their jobs. When there is a lot of carpet leftover the installer may have the option to take it home and try to sell it on Craigslist or in your local newspaper.
If you find an installer who has some leftover carpet or other flooring materials available at a very low price, you need to understand that they have a limited supply of those materials and have no way of getting any more of the exact same color or style.
There is no manufacturer's warranty on these materials whatsoever and no recourse if you end up unhappy with the performance. Still, you can find some real bargains this way.
As with any contractor you hire to do work on your property, I suggest you check references, verify their contractors license and business liability insurance to make sure they are all current and up-to-date.
Carpet installers do not have a carpet showroom but usually have a garage or rent a storage unit where they keep their leftover flooring. This might be an inexpensive way to go if you are just doing one or two rooms or if you need to replace carpet or flooring for a rental property. Is there a reputable carpet store near me? Check my Preferred Carpet Dealer List.
#7 A Flooring Outlet Store or Carpet Warehouse
*** 3 stars
If you want to do-it-all-yourself and save money... create a detailed diagram of your home with all the room measurements and bring your truck, some rope and maybe a tarp if it might rain!
These are carpet and flooring outlet stores that offer low prices and have dozens of rolls of carpet and many other flooring materials "in-stock". They cater mostly to homeowners on a tight budget, landlords and property managers and DIY homeowners.
They usually hire salespeople that have limited experience with flooring products and may not be able to offer you worthwhile advice about choosing the best product for your needs and goals, so be careful.
Local
Carpet Warehouse Retailers have plenty of inexpensive, lower-quality, defective or second-grade
materials. Have them roll out the carpet before you agree to buy it
to make sure there are no obvious defects. You
would be wise to check their return policy and product guarantee
carefully to make sure you know what you are getting into. Get everything in writing before you sign on the dotted
line because once you buy it, you own it. There are usually no refunds.
The main problem when buying carpet from this type of retailer, is that they rarely have the same type, style or color of carpet available. That means if you need to buy more of the exact same carpet you bought today, it may not be available for you to buy tomorrow. Once a roll of carpet is sold, the same type, style and dye lot (color) may be gone forever. No two rolls of carpet are exactly the same. There will be differences in color or style that may be quite obvious once it is installed.
These dealers may offer in-house installation or they might just hand you a list of local installers for you to call and hire on your own. If you have to arrange for your own installation you must negotiate with the installer and pay them directly.
Carpet Installers - 10 Questions To Ask Before You Hire
In the end, if you pay just $8.99 per yard for the carpet, don't expect it to last very long.
Even though you may get a great deal on discounted carpets, always remember that there was some reason why it was not able to be sold as first-quality goods.
#8 Home Improvement Big Box Stores
** 2 stars
These corporately-owned nationally advertised retailers blanket the airwaves with constant and repetitive TV commercials, radio ads, billboards and bus stops! They have thousands of locations and they always have carpet on sale. I think home improvement warehouses like Lowe's and Home Depot should be avoided because they...
1) Use private labels to prevent you from comparison shopping,
2) Farm-out their installations to other companies,
3) Require payment in-full upfront at the time of purchase and
4) Charge a fee to measure your home.
Should you have a carpet problem, they may just tell you to contact the installation company or contact the carpet manufacturer directly. This can takes weeks to get a remedy, if any. In many cases, it is quite possible that if you have a problem or complaint, no one (from the place where you bought it) is willing to step up to help you or accept responsibility for your problem or complaint. You could easily end up stuck with a carpet that you are unhappy with. If you are interested, do a Google search for "home depot carpet installation complaints" and see what some homeowners have to say, then decide for yourself.
#9 Wholesale Buying Clubs
*** 3 stars
These are Carpet, Flooring and Surface Suppliers for Trade Professionals and their Clients. Most are franchises and are locally owned and operated. Most Wholesale Clubs have corporate websites and feature local showrooms with knowledgeable staff to assist homeowners with material choices.
Homeowners can visit their carpet showroom and buy flooring products from these wholesale distributors only if they are invited by a trade member. Members typically include builders, contractors, remodelers, installers, interior designers, architects, real estate professionals, and more.
Some of these co-ops are:
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Contract Furnishings Mart or CFM
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ProSource
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Cascade Pacific Flooring Distributors
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The Floor Club
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Complete Flooring Source
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Keystone Flooring Products
Wholesale Clubs are not all alike. Some carry a larger selection of products to cater to home remodeling of all types. Others limit their products to carpet, flooring and window treatments.
Homeowners can only gain access to their showroom and all the benefits they have to offer by working with a paid member of the Wholesale Club. This could be a carpet installer, a real estate agent or a remodeling contractor to name a few.
Wholesale Clubs are real handy for contractors who want to have a nice place to send their clients. Personally I think the Trade Members are the real winners here. They get the benefit of having a nice showroom with knowledgeable staff and not have to pay to operate it. They also make a few bucks from the sale of products to their clients.
Qualified Carpet Installation
Homeowners may be required to make arrangements to obtain qualified installation for any materials ordered through a Wholesale Club, and pay for those services separately. Carpet Installers - 10 Questions To Ask Before You Hire
Conclusion:
Buying through a Wholesale Club Member could be a great way to save money on new carpet and flooring. It is handy to have everything you need on display with someone there to answer all your questions. In the end, it all comes down to how much you are being charged for the service. There is no fee, but their products are priced to cover operating costs. My advice, always get at least three bids from several local sources.
Looking to spruce up your space with a brand new carpet? Look no further! I've rounded up the top carpet stores near you to make your search a breeze. From lush textures to vibrant patterns, these stores have it all. Get ready to elevate your home with the perfect carpet!
Secrets To Carpet Success
Not only must you obtain qualified carpet installation, you must also choose the right grade of carpet and padding too. Just as important is making sure you buy from an honest and reputable carpet and flooring dealer. These are the secrets to choosing new carpet like a pro! Homeowners want to know, is there any honest and reputable Carpet Stores Near Me?
Learn more:
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How Much Does New Carpet Cost?
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Popular Carpet Styles for 2025
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10 Questions for Independent Installers (before you hire)
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Is Free Carpet Installation a Scam?
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Print My FREE Carpet Shopping Form
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Reputable Carpet Stores Near Me?
